Lesson 3: Downloading the Websense Master Database

New User Quick Start | Web Security Solutions | Version 7.7.x


Use this lesson to learn about subscriptions and the Websense Master Database. The lesson includes instructions for entering a subscription key and creating a database download schedule.

Before this tutorial can be completed, an administrator must enter the subscription key used to activate your Web security solution. Entering a subscription key:

Activates a partial version of the Master Database installed with all Websense Web Security solutions.

Activates your Websense software.

Initiates the download of the Websense Master Database, which contains up-to-date category and protocol definitions, used to classify Web sites and Internet applications.

Exercise 1: Enter your subscription key and configure database download settings:

Log on to the TRITON Unified Security Center

If the subscription key has not been entered, a dialog box prompts you to enter the key. Enter the key and click OK. You are taken to the Status > Dashboard page.

Otherwise, skip to step 3.

Click the Settings tab at the top of the left navigation pane, and then go to the Account page (selected by default when you switch to the Settings tab). Information about your Websense subscription appears near the top of the page.

Complete subscription information is not displayed until the first database download is complete.

Click Database Download in the left navigation pane. Master Database configuration information appears in the content pane.

Use the Download days check boxes and Download timeframe drop-down lists to establish a schedule for downloading the Master Database.

By default, Websense software is configured to attempt a download every day, some time between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Daily downloads ensure that you are always filtering with the most current information. Database downloads should occur at least once a week.


	Note If you do not download the Master Database for 14 days, filtering stops. If no download days are selected on the Database Download page, Websense software attempts to download the database every 7 days.

If your network requires authentication to a proxy server or firewall, do the following. Otherwise, skip to step 7.

In the Authentication area at the bottom of the screen, check Use Authentication.

Enter the User name and Password required by the proxy server or firewall.

You may also need to configure the proxy server or firewall to accept clear text or basic authentication.

If your network requires that browsers use an upstream proxy server to reach the Internet, do the following. Otherwise, skip to step 8.

In the Proxy Server area, check Use proxy server or firewall.

Enter the name or IP address of the proxy server or firewall machine in the Server IP or name field.

Use the Port field to enter the port used by the proxy server or firewall (the default is 8080).

Click OK to cache your settings, and then click Save and Deploy in the toolbar to implement them.

After you enter a subscription key, the Master Database begins to download in the background.

Exercise 2: Verify Master Database download status

To view database download status, or to manually initiate a download at any time:

Select the Main tab of the left navigation pane, and then go to Status > Dashboard and select the System tab.

The Health Alert Summary (displayed by default at the top of the System dashboard) provides general download status information.

Click Database Download (in the toolbar at the top of the page) for detailed download information.

By default, the Database Download page displays a summary of all Filtering Service machines, listing the Master Database version currently in use on each, as well as the status of the last download.

You can manually initiate a database download from this page by clicking the Update button for a Filtering Service instance. If a download attempt is in progress, the button is disabled.

Click a Filtering Service IP address in the list on the left to see detailed download information, including progress information for ongoing downloads.

Click Close to return to the Dashboard page. Closing the Database Download page does not interfere with any updates that may be in progress.


	Important If you have Websense Web Security Gateway Anywhere, after your first successful Master Database download is complete, log off of TRITON - Web Security and log back on. This allows several Settings pages available only with Websense Web Security Gateway Anywhere to be displayed.

When a database update adds or removes Websense-defined categories and protocols, you must log off of TRITON - Web Security and log on again to see the updated category and protocol lists. This protective measure ensures that database updates do not interfere with any policy updates that administrators may be making.

A database update that adds or removes categories and protocols is likely to occur:

When you first enter your subscription key and download the Master Database.

After you have purchased optional categories or protocols, or moved from Websense Web Filter to Websense Web Security or Web Security Gateway (Anywhere).

Typically, category and protocol additions or removals are rare, and generally publicized several weeks before the update takes place. If you have configured Websense software to notify administrators of systems alerts, you will also receive notification when new categories and protocols have been added or removed.

You have completed the Initial Setup section of this Quick Start tutorial. Continue with Policy Management.